Grille and method of making the same



Dec. 20, 1938- J. A. GERMONPREZ GRILLE AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAMEFiled Feb. 23, 1934 INVENTOR ATTORNEY.

Patented Dec. 20, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GRILLE AND METHOD OFMAKING THE SAME

Application February 23, 1934, Serial No. 712,550

3 Claims.

This invention relates to grilles for covering the ends of dischargeoutlets in air conditioning systems and the like, and more particularlyto grilles embodying a series of spaced parallel strips or fins.

The general object of the invention is toprovide a novel finconstruction for grilles or the like which is simple and inexpensive tomanufacture, which facilitates assembly of the grille structure, andwhich presents a neat and attractive appearance.

A more specific object is to provide a fin construction in which lateralprojections for spacing the adjacent fins of the grille apart are bentfrom longitudinally spaced portions of the fins and constructed in anovel manner to enable the fins to be secured together through themedium of flat bars extending through the adjacent fins alongside thespacing elements.

A further object is to provide a novel method of forming grille fins ofthe above character.

Another object is to provide a forced air grille composed of a pluralityof thin fins with means of an advantageous character for firmly holdingthe fins in spaced relation without the use of solder or the like.

These general objects and other objects and. features of the inventionare hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and the preferred formof construction of a grille embodying my invention is shown in theaccompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is an elevation of a portion of agrille including a frame.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged section taken on line 44 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a perspective View of a grille strip or fin indicating itsmanner of formation.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a slightly different form of fin.

The grille is constructed of a series of fins l secured inspacedrelation on bars 2. For this assembly on the bars, the strip is foldedat intervals, the folding being indicated in Fig. 1 at 8, and the bottomof the fold is apertured and the fins slipped over the bars with thefold 8 forming the spacing element for the fins. The bars tightly fit inthe recess formed in the fold of the fins and this relationship of thebar and the folded portions of the strips provide a comparatively largebearing surface on the bar which is small in previous structures beingonly the thickness of the strip. Previous stuctures in which the stripis merely apertured to receive the bar required the strips to bemechanically spaced in assembling the bars and strips and then soldered5 in place. Such labor of spacing and of soldering and the materialutilized in such previous strip are eliminated by my method of formingthe strips in a manner to be self-spaced in assembling on the bars.

Subsequent to the assembly of a. certain number of strips and barstherefor, a framework preferably of sheet metal indicated at 4 enclosesthe edges and ends of the assembled unit and by reason of the largebearing surface between the bars 15 and the strips, the unit resistsstrains tending to warp the same out of a plane. In the formerconstructions in which the grille strip is pierced and not folded at thepoint through which the bar extends, much care is required to beexercised in 20 the handling of the same prior to the dipping orsoldering operation for securing the strips to the bars and oftenresulted in a finished grille being distorted or warped in its plane.

My character of grille strip lends itself readily '25 to making incontinuous length from which strips of the desired length for a grilleof certain size may be cut and in Fig. 5 is shown a strip in perspectiveView indicating the progressive steps in the formation of the grillestrip. The 30 strip is to be understood as being passed in the directiontoward the right at Fig. 5 through consecutive punch and die elements,the first of which provides an aperture 5 in the body of the strip andas the strip is passed from the point 35 of formation of the aperturepasses to another instrumentality which forms a V across the bodythereof at the aperture. In the next succeeding operation the walls ofthe V are folded to practically parallel position as indicated at 'l.

The side edges of the fold in the next step are folded tightly togetheras indicated at 8 on opposite side edges of the strip: leaving a recess9 centrally of the strip between the walls of the fold and in alignmentwith the aperture 5 in the bot- 45 tom thereof into which the bar is tobe inserted. Thereafter, the opposite edges of the strip are bent toform air dissipating or diverging elements H] on one edge of the stripin spaced relation between the successive folds and on the opposite 50edge a bent portion H on the same side of the strip as the elements Hi.When the grille is arranged with the bent portions on the discharge sidethey provide a means for causing the air current passing between thestrips to be discharged: 55

at less than a right angle to the face of the grille. By suitable punchand die instrumentalities (not shown), the strip is shaped in aprogressive manner and may be made in as long lengths as desired andsubsequently out to the lengths required in the formation of a grille ofa certain size.

Subsequent to the formation of the strip in the general mannerindicated, the strips are fastened together by means of the bars 2.These are shown on an enlarged scale in Fig. l and the recess 9 formedbetween the side walls of each finished fold is a tight fit on the barso that it is necessary to employ force in the insertion of the bars.Thus the strips are bound together solely by frictional engagementbetween the inner side faces of the folds and the opposite side faces ofthe bars. This insures that the strips will be firmly held in properassembled relation and moreover prevents. any rattling noise incident tothe rush of air through the grille as might occur with a loose fitbetween the strips and bars. It will be observed that the bars 2 arerelatively thin, being made of sufiicient thickness only to possess thedesired degree of rigidity. "With the bars disposed edgewise across thestrips and made,

of a thickness substantially corresponding to the thickness of the foldsat the edges of the fins, only a slight increase in the thickness of thefolds incident to the reception of the bars becomes necessary, therebyavoiding any undue increase in the resistance interposed by the folds tothe passage of air through the grille.

It will also be noted from Figs. 1 and 4, that the folded edge portions8 of each fold project a slightly greater distance from the face of thegrille than the central portion therebetween. This will be readilyobserved in Fig. 4 in which the central portion forming the recessforthe bar is indicated at 13 while the bottom edge of the loop portion8 engages the next lower strip l. This formation providing a greaterlength of fold portion at opposite edges of the strip than at the centeris secured by making the aperture 5 of greater width longitudinally ofthe strip than the bar to be inserted therein. Thus when the strip isfolded on a center line of the aperture 5 the walls at the oppositeedges of the aperture taken longitudinally of the strip assume aposition above the lower edge of the fold. It will be noted that theformation of the grille strip is comparatively rapid and that theassembly thereof on the bars is also rapid in comparison to the methodsheretofore employed in that the strips are self-spacing and are merelyforced onto the bars with the folds of one strip in contact with thenext strip of the series. Therefore the unit consisting of the bars andstrips thus assembled may be made of the exact size in length of bar andlength of strip. Thus, upon completion of the assembly of the bars andstrips in a unitary structure, the sheet metal frame l may be placedabout the periphery of the assembled unit without necessity of furtherfinishing the same for reception of the frame.

The frame 4 shown is of channel form in cross section having the sideflanges 6a and 4b which engage over the ends and opposite side faces ofthe grille but other forms of frame element may be utilized. The bentspaced portions it on one edge of the strip and the longer bent portionsl l on the opposite side of the strip between adjacent folds asheretofore stated, provide a diffusing means for the air stream passingbetween the strips and the character of the action on the air stream.depends on which edge of the strip faces the discharge side of thegrille. Thegrille may be used with either edge as the discharge edge asmay be desired to meet different conditions in use. This grille may beutilized in various places as, for instance, in the opening of a coldair duct into a room where the inflowing air is required to decrease thetemperature of the air in the enclosed space. For such purpose thegrille and the air conduit to the grille are usually adjacent theceiling of the room. If hot air is to be passed through the grille itmay otherwise be positioned in respect to the room, for instance nearthe floor line. The grille is also useful wherever air is flowing fromone compartment to another as in refrigerating apparatus in which thegrille will be placed in the wall between the storage compartment andthe cold compartment. Thus wherever a grille may be utilized or isrequired for passage of air, the grille forming the subject matter ofthis invention may be utilized.

A slightly different form of fin is shown in Fig. 6. In this form thealternate folded portions are on opposite sides of the strip, that is,the strip B ll has its edge formed with the depressions 1011 on one sideand Na. at the opposite edge and the folded parts 80 on the one side arelike those indicated at 8 in Fig. 5 while on the opposite side thefolded portions 8| are on the opposite side. The folded portion 8| isnot identical in form with the portions 80 as the fold 8! need not ofnecessity be formed with an aperture or recess for a bar but may be ifdesired. By the form of fin shown in Fig. 6, the number of barsnecessary in forming the grille unit is reduced and this is possible dueto the fact that the folded portion 8! of one strip is in contact withthe contiguous face of an adjacent strip and the folded portions at ofthe series of strips are thus in alignment and in comparatively tightcontact with the next strip of the series thus sustaining the stripsfrom deflection between the bars.

It is believed from the foregoing description that the grille accordingto the invention is of simple and unique character of construction andarrangement of parts; that various changes can be made in the structureor relationship of the parts, as for instance by making the alternativefolded portions on opposite sides of the strip rather than on the sameside dispensing with the bent parts In or H upon one edge of the stripor utilizing a frame of different character of construction, and that,in the structure as shown or as may be revised within the scope of theappended claims, the various objects of the invention, includinginexpensiveness due to rapidity of construction and assembly andavoiding necessity of soldering or dipping the assembled bars and stripsin a cementitious solution are attained.

Having thus briefly described my invention, what I claim and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States is- 1. A fin for a grilleor the like comprising a sheet metal strip having a plurality ofU-shaped lateral projections bent from longitudinally spaced portions ofthe strip, each of said projections having parallel side Walls disposedsubstantially in surface contact at their edges and spaced apartintermediate said edges to define a parallel-Walled passageway extendinglongitudinally of said projection, and having one open end terminatingsubstantially in the plane of the fin and the other end terminating at apoint between the closed end of said projection and the body of the fin.

2. A grille structure comprising a plurality of narrow strips of thinsheet metal supported with opposite side faces in closely spacedrelation to form air guiding fins and having a plurality of rows ofspacing elements spaced apart transversely of the grille, the spacingelements constituting said rows being in the form of transverse foldsbent from said strips and having apertures at their bight ends disposedbetween the opposite edges of the fins, and means for holding the finstightly together including solid rigid retaining members insertedbetween and disposed in frictional engagement with the inner side facesof the alined folds of said rows and through the apertures thereof, saidmembers being of small thickness in a direction longitudinally of thefins to minimize the resistance to air flowing through the grille.

3. A forced air grille comprising a plurality of narrow fins made fromthin strips of sheet metal bent at longitudinally spaced points to forma plurality of flat transverse folds having apertures extendingtherethrough transversely of the fins, and means for retaining said finsin assembled relation With the folds on the adjacent fins in alinement,said means comprising a series of bars each inserted through theapertures of a row of folds and having a force fit with the walls of theapertures so as to provide firm frictional engagement between the partsconstituting the sole means for holding the fins together.

JOHN A. GERMONPREZ.

